Superintendent Jackie Glasheen shares the district’s accountability report from DESE with the School Committee at its Sept. 28 meeting.
Photo credit: Holyoke Media
HOLYOKE — With the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education recently releasing its accountability report for each school district, Holyoke Public Schools Superintendent Jackie Glasheen shared Holyoke’s preliminary accountability data during the School Committee meeting on Sept. 28.
She explained that after students take the MCAS in the spring, the data is tabulated and each district receives preliminary results for school leaders to review.
The final results are then shared, and the accountability determination are made by DESE. Each district and every school have their own targets that they have to meet.
To indicate how a district and/or school is performing, DESE looks at achievement, student growth, high school completion, English learner proficiency and additional indicators. Achievement and growth are based on the MCAS test, according to Glasheen.
Additional indicators include chronic absenteeism and how students are doing in advanced courses. After looking at each of those items, DESE rates the district and then each individual school. DESE will also determine if the district or a specific school needs further assistance based on their weighted average.
The full DESE Accountability Data can be found at tinyurl.com/4eh2ynhj. The website lists that Holyoke requires assistance or intervention and the reason for the classification is that they are in need of focused/targeted support.
Glasheen called the amount of data overwhelming but important to define the district’s next steps, potentially update their school improvement plans and find ways to support students who may be struggling.
After a recent webinar with DESE Commissioner Pedro Martinez, Glasheen shared state trends. English language arts decreased across the state for grades 3-8 and grade 10 from 2025. Math scores were mostly flat in terms of achievement and growth from 2025.
Glasheen said Holyoke only tests for science in grades, 5, 8 and 10. Results reflected an increase in grade 8 and a decrease in grades 5 and 10 across the state. Civics remained flat.
She also said it is harder to get students, especially in high school, to take the MCAS seriously due to it not being required for graduation anymore.
Looking at how Holyoke Public Schools are progressing. Peck Middle School, EN White Elementary School and Lawrence Elementary School showed moderate progress from 2025 to 2026 while Kelly Elementary School, Sullivan Middle School, McMahon Elementary School, Donahue Elementary School and Morgan Elementary School showed substantial progress.
Holyoke High School showed limited/no progress. Holyoke High School Dean and HHS are considered one school by DESE. The progress status is based on the percentage of targets each school met. Glasheen acknowledged that each school target is different.
“Everybody’s targets are different and that does not mean everybody’s reaching proficiency. That means those schools are making substantial progress on the targets they are given,” Glasheen said. “I’m saying that clearly because we have a long way to go regarding proficiency in ELA and math and science but we are making progress.”
Glasheen said the district’s next steps include doing a deep-dive data analysis, target English language arts and core academic growth, review chronic absenteeism action plans, expand English learner and special education supports and review school improvement plan and staff collaboration.
Glasheen also highlighted that chronic absenteeism is a big issue in Holyoke Public Schools, despite efforts by attendance teams and coordinators at each school. She said she thinks the numbers are still residual effects from the coronavirus pandemic.
“Now we’re in a place where we want kids to come to school, we do not want you to come to school sick but if you wake up and you kind of have a sniffle, we want you to come to school,” Glasheen said. “We have nurses there, if you are sick we’re happy to send you to the nurse but we really need kids in school because they cannot learn if they are not in school.”
Glasheen said data that the commissioner shared showed that students on the chronic absentee list were far more likely to reach proficiency than students who are coming to school every day.
